Power-transmission apparatus.



C. N. BUTTON,

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-3, 1908.

1,138,094. Patented May 4, 1915.

I0 SHEETS-SHEET I.

witw zaoeo I awvenfoz C. N. DUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

1o SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 4, 1915.

APPLICAHON FILED AUG 8 I908 A s3 l i I axi 4 C. N. BUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.B. 1908.

Patented May 4, 1915.

10 SHEETS SHEET 3- C. N. DUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.8, I909.

F i .13. Q vI Mwaoeo C. N. DUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUQB 1908. 1,138,094. Patented May 4, 1915.

I0 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

H I! lfllllllfl III 1m All? C. N. DUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

raw 1 9 1 4 V- m 0 Av t n 0x t nu n1 APPLICATION FILED AUG.B1908 1,138,094.

7 T E E H Av S T E E H 8 ll 0 WAR 1 cases zygwiifi Mm C. N. DUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS. APPLICAHON mco Auc.8. 1908 1,138,094. 7 Patented May 4,1915.

I0 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

YNK NONI! PITI'IS C11. PNOm-l-ITNQ. WASHINGTON. a C.

C. N. DUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS.

APPHCAHON FILED AUG.8.1908.

1,138,094. Patented May 4, 1915.

H) SHEETS--SHEEI 9.

1 2 m mvenfoz l0 SHEETS-SHEET 10- C. N. BUTTON.

POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUS,

Patented May 4, 1915.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-8. 908. 1,138,094.

CHAUNCEY N. BUTTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

POWER-TRAQSMISSION APPARATUS.

Specificdiion of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Appbicntion filed August s, 1308. Serial No. 447,610.

To all whom it may con cern Be it known that I, CHAUNCEY N. 1)UT- TON, a citizen of the United States, and of the State of New York, residing in New York city, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Power-Transmission Apparatus, my said improvement constituting and being a clutch, transmission, and differential, and being based upon priciples not heretofore applied, so far as I am aware, to such apparatus.

The objects of my invention are to pro duce such apparatus which shall embody rolling members and elastic members in lieu of sliding members or members acting by sliding friction and rigid members or members rigid relatively to one another as is now the practice; to utilize the elasticity and re siliency of said members to the fullest extent and to produce such apparatus which shall lie-adaptable to any power transmis sion, however great; to any usage. however severe. and which shall automatically adjust its power delivery torque relatively to its power receiving torque so that it may receive power from a rapidly running engine or shaft, and deliver it at a high speed and .small torque when the load is light and at a slow speed and greater torque when the load is heavy,automatically adjusting its delivery speed inversely and its delivery torque directly proportional thereto.

In general terms. my apparatus embodies a driving shaft and a driven shaft, driving wheels or drivers on the driving shaft, rolling members driven by said drivers, an elastic member preferably a cylindrical member enveloping the driving and rolling members and driven by them and suitably connected with the driven shaft, and means for adjusting the pressure which the driving and driven members exert upon one another, proportionally to the load and to the speed at which it is desired that the driven member shall rotate.

The driving and driven members revolve and the rolling members have an orbital 1notion about the of the driving shaft in the same direction and it neeessarily follows that the rolling members intermediate between the driving and driven members float. or are free to assume angular positions dependent upon the duty they are perform ingot any instant.

Describing the operation of my apparatus in general terms, the pressure of the members upon one another is so adjustable and adjusted that the rolling members deform and cause shearing strains in the elastic enveloping driven member, which reacts against such strains by the resistance of its molecules to shearing. The load tends to retard the rotative speed of the driven relatively to the driving members and therefore the rolling members tend to roll upon ,tlie elastic enveloping member. to drive said nodes of strain around its body, which re acts by its resiliency against the translation, through its substance, of said nodes of strain; and such reaction is communicated to the driven shaft and tends to rotate it with a couple proportionate to the strains in the elastic enveloping member. It will be seen that in my apparatus the work of de forming and straining the members is the dri ing agent and useful work, instead of being wasted work, as is the case in friction drives and in fact, in all other types of drives except belts-and-pulleys toothed gearing and electrical machines.

In the preferred form of my apparatus the driving shaft is double. one part being inclosed and adapted to slide in the other and each part carries a driving wheel or driver; a double series of revolving or rollingmembers contact with and are driven by the driving wheels; and an elastic cylindrical men'iber, which I shall name the'resilient envelop's the driving and revolving or rolling members and is suitably, preferably elastically connected with the driven shaft: and the two parts of the driving shaft and their respective driving wheels, are adjustable in distance from one another and combine with the rolling members and the resilient to form a toggle arrangement in which, when the drivers are approached the rollers are inclined at a greater angle with the axis of the apparatus, their outer surfaces at a greater distance from said axis and the pressure exerted between said rollers and the drivers and resilient is increased; and the strains in the resilient and its resistance to the travel of such strains through its substance are likewise increased, and therefore the driving torque is; increased proportionally to the distance Jletween the drivers and directly proportional to the. load or resistance and vice vea.

I will illustrate the action of my appa- Paths by describing it as applied to a motor vehicle. In such a vehicle the engines are I; "t,'i:::-;21lly small and run at a very high lilil'tl. i.,0() to 2,000 revolutions per minute and iransniit energy in very small amounts per engine revolution, to the vehicle wheels.

The vehicle wheels may haveto run at one instant, at engine speed and the energy transmitted to them per revolution in such case very small; as when the vehicle is runnin on a ood and level road; and suddenly when tie vehicle strikes a grade or a piece of bad road, its wheels may be com pelled to slow down to a small per cent of the normal revolutions. In the first case the torque delivered to the vehicle wheels revolution thereof is engine torque minus friction; and in the second case it should be many times normal torque. My apparatus will accomplish this variation of torque per revolution of the vehicle or driven wheels automatically in many cases and in any case, however severe, by a small adjustment of the distance between the drivers. It will be understood that the total engine power must be varied to said road resistances, as is commonly done, as otherwise the vehicle would race, or stall, instead of traveling at a desired speed.

When running at high speed the driving shalt. rollers, resilient, driven shafts and wheels run synchronously, as one piece; and when the vehicle strikes a grade or bad piece of road and the load or resistance is increased, the rollers roll between the drivers and the resilient, the revolutions of which slow down inversely proportional to the load or resistance and the transmission torque increases directly proportional thereto.

The apparatus functions in consonance with certain mathennitical and physical laws, the latter not hereiolore made useful in the arts. '1 ne--toriner will be set forth particularly; the latter only approximately because inventors experiments have not been suliciently numerous, exhaustive and recise for compl'ehensive and precise knowledge of the subject. The matheinutical laws applying to the resilient are as follo\\'s:----V\'l|cn free, from strain it is a cylindrical tube, with the rollers symmetrically located, in contact with its inner surface. lressure applied to it by means of the roll- :llw' changes it toward and to a polygonal tube with rounded runners. in consona'nrc Jth the laws of polygons, this change in Jorm takes plac with substaniially no -i',ia1ige in the relati e lengths of the circumf rential lamina, which. under all circunr stances, are proportional to their respective imlii. But while all the laminae remain sub- 'taantially unclianged in relative circumfer cniial lengths, they are subject to as many graduated strains, and to twice as many graduations of strains, as there are rollers; the same radial planes cut the axis of maxi mum strain in the inner and minimum strain in the outer laminae, and vice versa; and the laminae tend to move circumferentially, loeally, relatively to one another.

There is no bending, as that term is used in physics, to characterize proportional extension and compression of fibers or laminae to opposite sides of a neutral (in this case circumferential) axis. There is no bending because there is no compression other than the distending and strain-conjugating pressures at the roller contacts. Instead of the areas of graduated compression and extension of bending, there are nodes and areas of graduated tensions and of shears conjugating and in equilibrium with the same.

The tension is maximum in the outer and minimum in the inner laminae at the radical planes pressing through the roller axes, and minimum in the outer and maximum in the inner laminae mid-way betweenthe rollers. The shears are nil at the same planes and conjugate the graduated tensions, as must be evident to those who have studied elastic strains and reactions.- Nearly the whole volume of the resilient is in graduated shear and substantially one half of its elastic resistance to, and of its resiliency under shear are utilized, thus making it amore economical instrument than a helical spring.

If the system of distending rollers be re volved'and the resilient retarded relatively thereto, the rollers will roll on, and drive said areas of strain around in, the resilient, which, with its resiliency, resists such translations of strain among its molecules, with a force varying relatively to the speed of such translation, at in a mode not yet experimentally determined, somewhat as a pipe resists flow of liquid through its bore, or magnetic fields resist translation of metal bodies across them.

Rollers are ideal converters of small, swift forces into large, slow-moving ones; and their capacity to intensify force is limited only by the resistance thereto; because, considered as levers, they receive power at the ends of arms equal to their diameter and deliver it upon the resilient by arms almost infinitesinially short.

In its essence, the invention comprises a series of powerdriven, stress-intensifying rollers coacting with a resilient, automatica ll y proportionating. powe" delivering, movable abutment. The rollers are distended to strain the resilient substantially (within certain rather wide limits) proportionately to the resistance and the desired rate of speed; when revolved, they tend to intensity to a limit, it may be to infinity, and to so deliver upon the resilient, the stress ill;

applied to themselves; but the molecular reactions in the resilient cause it to set a limit to such intensification and (within its own limits of action) to proportionate the speed of stress delivery to the resistance and the power supply.

Such apparatus is described in the following specification and illustrated in the action of an apparatus in which the rolling members are balls, and Fig. 7. a diagrammatic section of an apparatus especially adapted to drive a motor vehicle, and shows my double, cross connected, oppositely movable shat sections carrying two such apparatuses, me for each wheel of'the vehicle and constituting in and of itself, clutch, transmission and differential mechanism. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate my apparatus as a hand thrown clutch for light transmission, Fig. 8 being a face view, Fig. 9 a section and 10 a view of the pressure adjusting apparatus. Figs. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate my apparatus as a power-operated clutch, suitable for very heavy work, Fig. 11 being a face View, Fig. 12 a section and Fig. 13 a view of the power-operated pressure adjusting apparatus. Figs. 14 to 31.inclusive show my apparatus as applicable to a motor vehicle, Fig. 14 being a horizontal section on the line 14-14 of Figs. 15 and 16, Fig. 15 'a section on the line 15 15 of Figs. 14. 1G and 17, Fig. 16 a section on the line 16-16 of Figs. 14, 15 and 17, and Fig. 17 a section on the line 1717 of Figs. 15 and is. Fig. 18 is an elevation and Fig. 19. a central section of a ring for spacing the rolling members. Fig. 20 is an elevation and Fig. 21 a central section of the guide blocks of the rolling members. Fig. 22 is an elevation of the driven bevel geai Fig. is a view partly in section of one member of my double, crossed. sliding shaft and Fig. 24 is a section of same on line Zl Q-L of Fig. 23. Fig. 25 is a View partly in section of the other part of my double shaft and Fig. 26 a front view of the crab uniting the parts thereof. Fig. 27 is a front view of my envcloping member or resilient and Fig. 28 a central section thereof. Fig. 29 is a view af an improved spring for supporting the ,yehicle elastically on my apparatus, Fig. 30

a view of the bar of which said spring is wound and Fig. 31 a side view of the attachment by which it is connected to the chassis of the vehicle.

In the practice of my invention I provide a power transmission apparatus, clutch and differential generally indicated by M, to which power may be supplied by a driving shaft D, running at any speed and torque; and which with proper adjustment of its internally-contained strains will automatically deliver said power, minus friction, to a driven shaft T, at a speed inversely proportional to the resistance or load of the driven shaft with a torque directly proportional thereto.

The driving shaft D carries driving wheels or drivers D Revolving or rolling members R, in contact with the drivers D and adapted to be driven by them, are interposed between said drivers and an elastic member S, which I term the resilient; and pressure is exerted between the drivers, the rollers and the resilient and when the drivers are rotated they drive the rollers and the resilient and a power delivery or driven shaft T, suitably connected therewith by a. connecting device C. The rolling members R are angularly unconfined save that they are mechanically spaced or separated so as not to rub on one another and their positions, at any instant, depend solely on the duty they may be doing.

The power of the drive is proportional to the pressure exerted between the members; and I provide pressure-adjlisting apparatus 1, by which said pressure can be adjusted at the will of the operator. As illustrated in the diagrams. Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, I prefer to make the driving shaft in two parts. a female part D enveloping a male part D which has a sliding motion in the female part, controlled by the pressure adjusting :iipparatus l; to secure a driver D on each of said shaft members D and D; to make my resiient, S, an elastic cylindrical enveloping Illtlllllfil;.t0 make the rollers, R, disksoi consi tlerable diameter relatively to their thickness and to insure that said parts retain their proper relations by rounding the edge. of the rollers. ll. and making corresponding grcows l. best shown in Fig. 4

28 in the drivers I) and resilent S. This arrangement however, may be changed without departing from the scope of my invention, the general idea of which is a drive by rolling members abutting on drivers and acting on a resilient member, driving by the elastic resistance of said resilient to the passage of strains through its substance. For example, on Figs. and 6 I show the rollers R. as balls; in which case the drivers referably have opposed conical driving aces 2, and the opposed faces 3 of the resilient S. are preferably curved to a radius somewhat larger than the radius of the balls.

Obviously many forms of rollers or revolving member and of driving faces on the drivers 1) and resilient S can be used. I might even use wheels revolying on jour nals carried in a frame or spider and outwardly adjustable but such an arrangement is: manifestly inferior.

The combination should be such that the pre sure between the drivers, rollers and resilient is obtained with the least pmsible applying stress; and members embodying the toggle principle do this in a very effective and satisfactory manner. it is also necessary that the pressure be. contained. within the functioning members and not exerted between revolving and non-revolving members, in which case it would have brake action. This is most easily avoided with z ipparatus acting on the toggle pr-inciple. lhe contrast between l igs. l and 2 and Figs. 3 and l-. illustrates the toggle action of the rollers. It is obvious also from in spection of Figs. 5 and that toggle action can be obtained with balls as rollers by suitably inclining the dlfii'ing and driven faces.

I may use my apparatus for a clutch to connect. and disconnect a driving revelving member with and from a driven revolving member, for example, to connect and disconnect a driving shaft and pulley. Such uses are illustrated in Figs. 8 to 13 inclusive, Figs. 8, J and 10 illustrating a pulley for light transmission and Figs. ll, 12 and 13 a pulley for heavy transmission.

For light tansmission the pressure adjusting apparatus 1 can be hand operated. Such apparatus is shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 in which I show a pulley T suitably mounted in hearings and adapted to be clutched to and released from a main driving shaft D by my apparatus M. The male part I) of the driving shaft envelops it and is in turn enveloped. by the female part l) and both said parts can be moved longitudinally relatively to one another by the pressure adjusting apparatus P, while their revolutions are synchron zed by closely fit-- ting polygonal or prismatic sections D The male part I) of the shaft carries a driver D as also does the female part D", and a set of rollers, R, is interposed between each of said drivers I) and a resilient S, which is suitably connected with the pulley T by a connection C, in this instance shown as a form of crab, teeth S being formed on the resilient S, which teeth engage notches,

C formed on the pulley. The pressure apparatus 'P, shown in these figures is a form of toggle, abutnients, P, for which are provided on the male part of D and female part D of the shaft. As the 'pressures necessary even in light driving preclude the use of pin bearings for the toggles 1, they and their ahutments T have rolling surfaces P and spur gearings. 1" to insure their proper action. A toggle of each pair has an arm 1", link and pinconnected by a link P with a sliding collar P on the shaft D, and Seid collar can be thrown by a hand. lever l pivoted on a fixed fulcrum P \Vhen said lever is thrown to the right, the position shown in Fig 10, the drivers D art approached and the rollers R, are forced out against the resilient increasing the strains therein and setting the clutch; which lnay be released by returning the lever to the left, the position shown in Fig 9, which lllOtlOl'l separates the drivers D and reduces the same as above described.

' For setting and releasing my ap aratus M, the pressure adjusting apparatus consists in a screw 1) formed on one, preferably the male part D of the shaft D, and a nut 1"" engaging therewith abutting at one end against the female shaft part D preferably by a ball thrust bearing 1), and also su iveled thereon by the engagement of its head with a corresponding groove formed in an engaging collar (1, o that the female part I and male part .l) are adjusted in relative positions by the screw D and nut 1'. The pitch of the screw 1) is such that the nut will not back elf except by the application of force to it, and to move the nut on the screw 1 provide a friction wheel P on the nut 1, a friction drive wheel 1" 011 the shaft, a setting up friction train P and a releasing friction wheel l both of which trains are journaled in a swinging frame 1 pivoted on av fixed fulcrum l. and having a hand lever P. The setting up train 1 consists in a primary wheel l -and a secondary wheel 1' fixed on a journal P rotatable in hearings in the frame P The releasing wheel, P is fixed on a journal P and its frictional resistance to rotation is adjustable by a disk clutch 1 or other Suit! able device.

\Vhen the frame P is in itsiieutral 0 central position as shown in Fig. ll'the friction trains do not mesh and the relative positions of the screw l) and nut P and of the driverslY, and the consequent strains in the resilient S, remain unchanged. Vhen the frame 1" is swung to the right the setting-up train P acts, the driver P on the shaft, D en 'aging the primary P and the secondary, of said train P engaging the wheel P on the nut P which is 1'0- tated positively or forwardly relatively to th crew'D approaching the drivers D and setting up the apparatus, M." hen the frame 1 is swung to thelett therel asing oil wheel P engages the wheel P on the nut P and the frictional resistance of the clutch P on the shaft P" causes the releasing Wheel P to hold the nut P back relatively to the rotation of the shaft D and to unscrew said nut P on the screw I), separate the drivers I), and release the apparatus M.

My apparatus M Was primarily designed for use on motonvehicles and the remaining drawings, Figs, 14: to 31 inclusive, show it so applied. The proper location for it, in such a vehicle is in the driving axle usually the' rear axle. I therefore show an axle A, adapted to contain and support in apparatus M. Said axle- A is preferably made in 3- parts. to wit: a' central section A preferably a steel tube of large bore closed by heads A? screwed and pinned to the central section A and having tubular extensions A through, which the avheel shafts T w can extend to the wheels W.

Inorder to properly support my driving gear train l driving shaft D and adjusting apparatus P in the axle A, I provide a split cylindrical assembling frame or base A fitting in and pinned or otherwise cured substantially centrally in the'central section A of the axle A. Said case A is divided substantiallv horizontally into a base, A and cap A", united by a flanged joint A. and has circumferential end flanges A for fitting and securing it in the axle section A, ribbed heads A axial hea rings A for the driving shaft D, a transverse hearing A. substantially at right angles to the axis. for the propeller shaft connection, said transverse nearing A being formed in and supported by a vertical, longitudinal wall A. substantially horizontal seats A" for conveniently attaching frames which directly support parts of the apparatus. noss, A. pockets. A a hand hole A and outside the vertical longitudinal, wall A an oil pocket A".

Power is brought from the engine to my appa atus W, by a propeller shaft D (or in other suitable manner) to facilitate the connection of which I make an openin A? in the axlesection A. axial with the transverse hearing A. I attach a flanged coupling A" to the axle section A enveloping the opening A and a tubular case A to the miipliiig A. which case incloses the propeller shaft l). The driving shaft D of my apparatus hi extends through the axial hearings A. The pressure adjusting apniratns l is ontained in the case A. and at each end of the central axle section A between a head A and the case A" a drive part M of my apparatus ;\'l. one for each vehicle \vhoel. each sin-ll drive part hi consisting of a pair of drivers I). lll :i resilient two sets of rollers ll. ll. and a connerlion connecting such drive apparatus-s with a head '1 on a wheel shaft 'l) said I)" with the left hand female Shaft extending outwardly through a tubular extension A of the axle head A to a Wheel W.

Because the drive parts MK. M of my apparatus are double and in order to operate them both with one pressure-adjusting aparatus I, I provide two female parts D,

of the shaft D, and two male'parts D D also and cross connect the shaft members, connecting the right hand male part part D and the left hand male part D vvith the right hand female part D and secure the outer drivers I) of each pair to a male part D, D and the inner drivers D of each pair to a female part D", I). This is most clearly shown in Fig. 7, in which the con nccted left hand outer driver D its connected male part I) of the shaft, the female part D on the right hand side and the driver I) connected therewith are drawn in light lines, hatched. and shaded; while the left hand inner driver D, its connected female part- D, the connected right hand male part I) and its outer right hand driver I) are drawn and shade-lined with heavy lines.

This construction. gives the desired pressure-adjusting motions to the drivers D of each pair in equal degrees with. a single pressure-adjusting apparatus P, for in order to increase the pressure and strains in the resilient it is necessary that the drivers D of each pair approach one another; that is to say, the outer drivers must move in \vardly and the inner drivers outwardly; and vice versa for releasing. As constructed, when the right hand. outer driver 1) moves to the left the left hand inner driver also moves to the left; and at the same time the left hand outer driver moves to the right and the right hand inner driver also n'ioves to the right; and the drivers D I) of each pair approach one another and vice versu. To this end best shown in Figs 7, l4 and 22 to 26 inclusive the left hand feinale part D has an inner head I). and pins I) extending: inwardly therefrom and the right hand male part D has an in ner head I) into which the pins D of the 115 head I) (Figs. In 14. 2.5L "26) of the left hand female part l) are rive d. The left hand male part l has an inner head l)"- and the right hand female part I) has a corresponding head ll l ies. I. 14;, 2; to 120 24. The engagement of oral) teeth I) on the heads I) and I) compels them to rotate synchronously and they are held togethcr by a union nnt D" or in a suitable manner as best shown in Figs. 7 "22" and 2th 125 The head ll is provided with holes I) through which the pins l) of the head ll" of the left hand female part ll pass before living riv ted into the head D of the right hand nude part i); and to facilitate as 130 sembling, the tubular inward projection of the head D on the left hand male part D" is made short while the corresponding inward tubular projection of the head D on the right hand female part I) is made long, so that the combined tubular parts of the heads D and 1) form a chamber D of sufficient length to accommodate the desired pressure-adjusting motions of the head D" on the right hand male part Di.

In order to secure the drivers D on the shaft parts D D D, D I may flute the drivers and the ends of the said parts; and because the drivers pull on the male parts I also provide thereon screws D and nuts D The drivers thrust against the female parts and require no fastening other than fiuting or other'device to prevent the drivers from turning on the shafts and compel them to rotatetogether. In this design the pressure-adjusting apparatus P, consists of a screw D formed on a female part, D, a nut P engaging therewith, differential gear apparatus, for rotating the nut P relatively to the shaft D, and means for operating or meshing and unmeshing the differentiating gear apparatus.

An extension of the nut- I abuts against the head D preferably by a ball thrust bearing b and said nut is engaged with said head against a pull by a collar and grooved ring engagement 0, the engaging ring being split and held in place by a tubular extension D of the union D". ,A spur gear P is formed on the nut P and' a second spur gear P having one less tooth than the wheel P, is secured'to the shaft D preferably on the shaft section D. I also provide a releasing gearing P which might be a single wheel, but for convenience is shown as two equal gears fixed on a shaft; and a setting up train P which has two Wheels P and P'" differing by one tooth. I provide means for engaging and disengaging the gears P and I with the setting up train P and with the releasing gear P When the setting-up gear I is meshed the nut P is rotated forwardly relatively to the screw D and the apparatus Mi is set up; and when the releasin gear P meshes with the wheels P and I the nut P is retarded relatively to the screw I) and the apparatus M is released.

To illustrate the action of these gearings let us assume definite proportions to them. Assign 61 teeth to the shaft wheel P 62 teeth to the nut wheel P 42 teeth to the releasing gear P and to that Wheel P of the setting up train P which meshes with P and 43 teeth to the wheel P which meshes with the nut wheel I; then when the releasing gear meshes, the shaft wheel P makes a complete revolution while the nut wheel, P is making 61/62 of a revolua crank pin P tion and the nut P. is retarded 1/62 of a s5 revolution per revolution of the shaft D.

When the setting-up train, P engages, the shaft wheel P makes 42/6l:0.6885 of a revolution while the nut Wheel I make 43/62::05935 of a revolution; the nut I rotates faster than the shaft D-lo be exact the nut makes 138.? turns while the shaft makes 187.7 turns and the apparatus M is set up.

In order that the releasing and setting-up gears, P and P may be engaged and dis engaged at rho will of the operator, I pro vide a crank motion mechanism such that by throwing a lever to one side the operator 1 may release and by throwing it to the other side he may tighten up the apparatus M. by the engagement and disengagement of said gears. The shafts P thereof are journaled in swinging frames 1 on which 1 form trunnions P which work in hearings P P P P following parallel with the axis of the shafts l) and P One gear train, say the releasing train P is located at the horizontal joint A of thecase A and the other train P is located in the lower part- A" of said case Centrally between the axes of the trunnions P ,of said swinging frames l locate a shiftcrai k shaft, P journaled in a suitable frame P" and having a shiftcrank P and l secure cranks I with crank pins P on the inner trunnions P 0'? the'swingin gear frames I I link tlr crailk pins of the wringing frames P by inks P to the crank pin l of tinshifl; crank P. \Vhen it is in its central position, as shown in Fig. 15, all the gears are but of mesh. hen said crank is swung to the left hand it moves the setting-up trainI into mesh and the releasing gears P still farther from meshed position. \Vhen said crank is swung to the right hand it moves the setting-up train I out 0% mesh and the releasing train P into mesh The shift-crank pin. moves nearly l i' degrees and therefore it is not practical ti give it motion by a lintvandqiin connei'rtion I therefore extend the shift-crank shaft, P and secure onits end away from the cranl P a wheel segment I The shift-crank I is directly controller by an organization consisting in a cranl shaft P su iiported in a suitable frame l" and having on one end a wheel segment. I which engages the wheel segment I oi the shift-crank sha ft 1" and on the other crank arm P. To more the above dr scribed mechanism I roviile a verticall movable control bar 1 one mid of which extends through the walls of the top A of the assembling cm ,i and axle section A so that it may be ope-atoll by the operator, and on said bar I prov de a pin P connected by a link, I with the in P of the crank arm, P of the shaft When the control bar P is moved up or down the link P rotates the crank arm P, shaft P and wheel segment P which by its engagement with the wheel segment P on the shift-crank shaft P? rotates the latter and its shift-crank shaft P and the connected cranks P on the trunnions P of the swinging gear-carrying frames I? and thereby swings the gears PK? in and out of mesh with the dilferentiating gear wheels P22. P23.

When the control bar P" is at the upper limit of its stroke thereleasing ear, P is meshed and the setting-up train P is farthest removed from meshing position when at its middle position both the releasing and setting-up trains are in mean positions and safely out of mesh; and when it is at its lowerlimit of stroke the settingup' train is meshed and the release gear 1s farthest removed from meshing position. The release gear meshes with the revolution of the differentiating/gears so as to be sure -to oin mesh and the setting up train unmes ms with such revolution so as to be sure to unmesh when the operator so desires for it must be beyond doubt that the operator can stop his vehicle when it is necessary to do so. The bearing P for the outer trunnion P of the swinging frame P of thl releasing train P is formed in the flan di joint A of the case A and the bearing for the inner trunnion thereof is formed on a bracket A on thebase A of the case A.

The frame F of the setting-up train has its outer trunnion bearing P formed in a head A of the lower part A of the case A and its inner trunnion bearing P in a frame P The vertical control her P" has a lower guide in the bracketA" and its upper guide in a flanged tubular ferrule P extending through registering openings A in a boss A of the cap A of the case A and in the tnbhhiflcentral axle section A.

l providca control apparatus Id, exterior to the axle A and connected with the vertically-moving control bar P by which the operator may shift the bar and set tip or re-' lease the apparatus M.

in a vehicle it isnrcessary easy riding, to intcrpose springs between the axie and the chassis and body of the vehi le one result of which is that the axle and chassis and body ha re cushion motions relatively to each other.

One part of the control apparatus E is necessarily fixed on the body or chassis of the vehicle and other parts on the axle, connected with the mechanism M; and in (is signing the control mechanism I) it is necessary to use parts so organized and related that the relative cushion motions of the axle and. chassis, due to the springs, do not interin order to give.

fere with and nullify the controlling motions of the control apparatus E imparted to it by the hand of the operator.

My control apparatus E has this quality. To the head of the control bar P" I swivel a screw rod E of about 45 pitch, said screw rod having a prismatic engaging part, shown as longitudinal slots E and being rotatable on a bolt E the head E of which retains it relatively to the control bar P". The screw E passes through two wheel segments one of which, E forms a nut engaging with the-screw E and the other wheel segment E contains an abutment for said prismatic part of the screw rod, shown as splines, E which engage the slots E of the screw E. The action of these parts is such that if both the wheel segments E and E rotate together the screw is not 0 erated and the position of the control bar remains unchanged, however much the two wheel segments are rotated in the same direction and at the same speed. But if the said wheel segments are rotated relatively to one another, either by being turned in opposite directions or at different speeds in the same direction, then and in that case the engagin splines E in the wheel segment E and s1 ts E in. the screw E serve as abutments for the screw and nut and the screw travertes the nut and moves the control bar P, imparting'the desired control motion to the pressure adjusting apparatus In order to give the wheel segments E and E the necessary relative rotatory mo' tions, independent of the axle and chassis cushioning movements, I provide gearing, which might be racks but are more conv niently and safely housed if wheel segmints, L and E", meshing respectively with the aforesaid segments E and E and having outwardly extending arms E All the wheel segments are contained in a case T11 secured on the ferrule P and having a tubular part E" axially with the screw for the segments E and E a hearing it" for the nut segment E a pocket E for the segments E and E and, bearings, it for the spindles E thereof Q-The case E" is closed save" for the opening where it joins the ferrule P" and the openings for lliu spindles E so as to be dhst tight.

To control the operative moyements of the wheel segments I provide a hand lever E", on an end of a shaft E suitably rotatablein a'bearing or hearings it on the chassis H of the vehicle and on the other end of said shaft :1 double cranlrvhcad; E with pins E substantially 18H apart, one connected by a link E with the arm E of the segment I the other similarily connected with the segment ll.

"lhe oprration of the control apparatus E is as follous--lVhilc the hand lever E remains in a central position the parts of the apparatus M are unchanged in relative position save for the rotation of the driving parts. When the operator desires to set up the mechanism M, to increase the speedor torque of the drive, he moves his hand lever E" to the right, rotating the shaft It and crank head E and by means of the links E rotating the wheel segment E negati oly and the meshing nut segment positively and the segment-Iii positively and the meshing spline segment E ne atively, which drives down the screw 14 and control bar AP, and throws the setting up train P in mesh withthe differentiating wheels I? and P. \Vhen he has adjusted the speed and torque of the drive he will return the hand lever E" to central position and unmesh the gears P P P \Vhen he desires to reduce the speed and torque of the drive he will move the hand lever E" to the left hand, rotate the segment E positively and the engaged nut segment E negatively, the segment E negatively and the meshing spline segment E positively, transverse the screw E and control bar P" upwardly and mesh the releasing gear P which he can unmesh by returning the hand lever E" to central position.

It will be seen that the screw E cannot be caused to travel by any motion other than a rotatory movement of the shaft E and its crank head E and that relative motions of the axle A and chassis H will merely change the distance between the crank head E and the axis of the wheel segments and cause E and E to rotate together in one direction and-E and E to rotate together in'the opposite direction which. movements will have no control effect whatever, because they will merely whirl the screw E on the bolt E without calling into play the screw functions of the apparatus.

It will be seen that the case E has no unclosed openings whatever after it is assembled in place. The bearings E for the spindles E are bored and co'unterbored, the segments E and E are entered through the main opening in the tubular part E of the case, the spindles E are driven home and the arm E secured to them.

The head of the control bar P" must be within the periphery of the case A while it is being entered into the axle section A; and when it is in place the control bar P" can be drawn up, the screw E bolted on it and the bolt E pinned in its socket in the control bar P. The guide ferrule P" can then be put in place and secured to a flange section, A, which has been riveted to the axle section A enveloping the opening A. The spline wheel segment E and the nut wheel segment E can then be assembled on the screw E and the case E containin 4 the wheel segments E and E", can then beput over the projecting part of the screw E and the wheel segment E and E and secured to the flanged ferrule I \Vhen the pressuieadjusting apparatus P is in operation, to set up or release the apparatus M, it is driven by full engine power; and in case the operator (lid not sus pend its operation soon enough it would function to one end of its travel and then either stop the engine or be broken by it, unless I provide an tllltomatiuall \ol ci'u tive thrmv-out mechanism to throw the wheels P P and P or P out of mesh when the mechanism M is fully set up or released. I provide such a throw-out mechanism 0, consisting in friction wheel surfaces on revolving parts of the shaft D. friction wheels rotatable in bearings, a screw rod traversing the said friction wheels and a toggle joint arrangement connecting the said screw rod and the control bar P, by which. the said bar will always be returned to its mean position, or position in which the differentiating wheel systems are out of mesh when the pressure adjusting mechanism P has reached the limit of its stroke.

The apparatus 0 is best shown in l igs. 15, 16 and 17 in which I) are friction surfaces formed on a wheel P and D are like surfaces formed on a part connected with the shaft D, as illustrated, on the tubular extension D of the union nut D". One pair of, said friction surfaces is larger in diameter than the other: in the drawings the pair D on the shaft D are larger than the pair D" on the nut wheel P These surfaces might be located on any revolving parts of the shaft D or connected with it, as their functions depend solely on revolving them.

Parallel with the shaft 1) I provide bearings O axial with each other, in a suitable frame 0 secured to the cap A of the case A and two pair of friction wheels 0 O, revoluble in said bearings, the wheels of each pair being connected by a tubular bearing or throat O and adapted to'and slightly longer than the bearing 0 in which it is to rotate, so that 'said wheels may have a slight longitudinal traverse in their bearings. The wheels 0 O have friction sur- .faces 0, each of such surfaces being adapted to run with that friction surface D or D on the shaft system, ch faces it. The

' friction surfaces of one pair of Wheels are of greater diameter than those of the other pair; for example the wheels O, which are adapted to engage the surfaces D on the shaft system are smaller than those 0 adapted to engage the surfaces D on the gear wheel P. The friction surfaces of each pair are spaced from one another a distance very slightly greater than the distance separating the pair D, or D with which they engage, plus half the relative axial movement of thenut P and screw D. One of the pairs of wheels, say 0 forms a nut for a screw of about 45 pitch formed on a traversing bar C) and the other pair 0 has an abutment, shown as splines, O", engaging a prismatic engaging portion, shown as slots 0 formed in the bar 0 the wheel pair 0 thus forming an abutment for the screw function of the wheel I pair 0 and screw 0" on the bar so that when the wheel pairs 0 and O rotate at different angular velocities the bar 0 will be traversed axially by the screw and nut.

The bar 0 extends beyond the inner wheel pair and has a guide bearing 0 in the head A of the case A or in a frame 0 secured thereto. A toggle shaft 0 located above the outer end of said bar 0 and at right angles with it has secured to it a pair of toggle arms 0 extending inwardly and one arm 0 on an-end thereof and exteflding downwardly. Trunnion blocks 0 carrying trunnions O" are located and adapted to slide on the bar 0 and are connected by links 0 each pivoted at one end on a trunnion O and at the other end by a pin 0'", on the arms 0 and a tappet, 0 is secured on the bar O between the trunnion blocks O.,

A link 0 is pivoted at one end on a pin P on the control bar P and at the other end on a link 0* the other end of which is pivoted on the frame nearly vertically above the mean position of the lower end of said link 0; and a link 0 connects the links 0 and O with the operating arm, 0 on the toggle shaft 0 The operation of this device is as follows z When the nut P and screw D screw out to the limit of their travel the outer friction surfaces, 1), D on the shaft contact with the outer friction surfaces 0 on the outer wheels of the pairs 0', O respectii ely; and when said nut P and screw D screw in to the inner limit of their travel in releasing the mechanism M, the inner friction surfaces D, D on the shaft Dl contact with the in ner friction surfaces 0" on the inner wheels of the pairs 0, 0 respectively; said wheels are rotated and because they are of different diameters or in different ratios to their drivers they are rotated at different speeds. The splines O in one wheel 0 and the slots in the bar act as abutments for the screw 0" and the nut in the wheel pair 0 and the screw functions to traverse the bar axiall in one direction or another. Vihichever way the bar 0 moves it will return the control bar P" to mean position, as shown in Fig. 16, and unmesh Whichever wheel train, P or 1 may be at such time meshed with the wheels P P. For when the said wheels are meshed the bar P is at one limit of its stroke. When the gear train P is in mesh it is at its upper limit and when train I is in mesh it is at its lower limit and at whichever limit said control bar P" may be, the link 0, pivoted on. the bar I is inclined and its outer end and pivotal connection with the vertical link 0 is drawn in toward the control bar P, the

outer end of the operating arm, on the toggle shaft 0 is drawn toward the controlbar P, the toggle arms 0 on the shaft 0 are raised, the ends of the toggle links 0 pivoted on said arms are drawn up by them and the trunnion blocks 0 are drawn in toward the tappet, 0 and a movement of the bar 0 tappet 0 in either direction, will cause the tappet 0 to contact with a trunnion block 0 and operate the toggles toreturn the toggle system and'the control bar P" to the position shown in Fig. 16 which is the release osition relatively to the differential gears P P and P iVhen the above system operates, the friction surfaces D, D are at inner or outer limits of their stroke, positions in which they will operate the wheels 0 O; and in order that the operator may change the drive of my mechanism it is necessary that I provide a slight axial adjustment, at such times, of said wheels; as were they to be a'xia'll' fixed in position the friction surfaces D now at inner or outer limits of their stroke, must act to throw the pressure adjusting apparatus P out of action and it would be impossible, without such a provision, for the operator to change the drive. I therefore provide tubular swivels one 0 swiveled on a wheel as and one 0 swiveled on a wheel as O, confined by suitable nuts a wheel segment, 0 on one swivel as Q, a rack P on the vertically moving control bar P", said rack mesh ing with the wheel segment 0 and rotating it and the swivel O slightly when the control bar P is moved, a square die on the other swivel O, a slotted projection O on the frame 0 engaging said squared die on the swivel O, which prevents said swivel from rotating while permitting it to slide axially, a male screw 0 on we swivel, as O and a corresponding nut ill the other swivel. The above described organization prevents the friction surfaces from grinding one another out uselessly by slightly moving the wheels 0 and Q axially, after they have operated, away from the operat ing friction surfaces D and D* and also permits the operator to move the pressure adjustin mechanism away from a limit which lt%l1S reached, but prevents him from moving it in the direction of such limit; for he must move the control bar P up to unscrew the nut P and screw D and lessen the distance between the friction surfaces D and D and move the control bar P" down and screw up the nut P and screw D in order to increase the distance between the ated, and the the surface D m to that of the screw D and nut P; i use a downward motion of the control but" P" and its rack P" through its engagement with the wheel segment 0 functions the screw 0 to draw the friction Wheels 0 and 0 together and shortens the possible setting-up stroke, and lengthens the possible release stroke of the screw D and nut P"; while an upward motion of said bar functions the screw 0" to separate the wheels 0 and O, shortens the release stroke and lengthens the setting-up stroke of the screw D and nut P.

It follows that when the screw D and nut P? have traveled to either limit of their stroke and operated the throw-out mechanism 0, if the o erator attempts to move the control bar in the direction which would renew the kind of action just discontinued the wheels 0 would function with of the shaft D and the throw-out mechanism would operate to prevent such injurious action. But if on the contrary he moves the control bar P in the direction to accomplish the o posite function of the screw D and nut such motion of the control bar P" will move the wheels 0 O, in such manner that their friction surfaces 96 will be out of contact with the shaft friction surfaces D, D, the throw-out apparatus will not be operpressure-adjusting apparatus P will operate in the desired or proper manner. If set up to its roper limit said mech anism can be relea but not further tightmod and if backed 011' to its pro 1 limit it can be set up, but not backed o farther.

- After my mechanism M and axle A are assembled and the latter is secured to the chassis H of the vehicle, D' is entered through the flanged o ening A" and its case, Af", is riveted to the anged nozzle A".

I prepare for easy connection of the propeller shaft D with my apparatus M by forming a polygonal or rismatic head D on the engaging end 0 said shaft and a corresponding socket D in the outer end of the journal D of the driving, bevel gear D, the axis of said journal D being trans terse of that of the shaft D and being in the plane of the joint A of the assembling case A, in each face of which joint I form a half of a bearing A, for said journal D. A driven bevel gear wheel D meshes with said driving wheel D the journal D of which works in an axial hearing A of the case A and said wheel drives the shaft D by engagement of closely fitting prismatic or polygonal sections D in the journal ofsaid wheel and on the female part D of the shaft. The cross connected shaft menu:

bers are airially movable in the journal D of the driven bevel wheel D; and the crossconnected shaft sections D, D, and D", D

the propeller shaft are also axially movable relatively to one another and are synchronized by polygonal or prismatic fitting sections D and "also by the en agement of the pins D in the holes D. he right hand female part D and male part I) extend beyond the driven gear D and the left hand male and female parts extend through and beyond the opposite axial bearing A I have heretofore described the cross connection of the male and female shaft sections, and thp attachment of the drivers D to the same. highly desirable that the spacing of the drivers D should be exact.

The preferred construction of the drivers D and rollers R is shown in Figs 14 and 16. The driver D is cut out to form a rim D in which I form grooves 2 corresponding with the rounded rims of the rollers R, which are'also hollowed out to form heavy rounded rims R this construction giving an elastic drive like ring, in lieu of a dead drive like rigid bodies.

I have found by practical experience that it is necessary to use some form of spacing device R to prevent the rollers R from bunching up and grinding grooves in one another. I have obtained very satisfactory results with a device such as illustrated in Figs. 14, 16 and 18 to 21 inclusive.

- s therein illustrated I provide a spacing ring, R with lugs R disposed in pairs, each pair forming a radial slot R and having circumferential smaller slots, R parallel with the ring body. The rollers R have a light substantially spherical web R concave toward the spacing rings R and a central It should be noted that it is stud, R the length of which is substantially the wheel thickness, on the end of which I form a shoulder and a groove R Guide blocks, R shown in detail in Figs. 20 and 21, formed with a central stud bearing R and side trunnions R are revoluble on the studs R of the rollers R and are confined thereon by washers and spring clips R which engage the grooves R in the studs R The guide blocks R lie and work in the radial slots R of the ring R and smaller guide blocks R pinned on the side trunnions of the large blocks, lie and work in the circumferential slots, R in the lugs R.

In operation the spacing ring adjusts itself to revolve about its center of gravity; it is held at a determined distance from the rollers R by the trunnions R and trunnion guide blocks R working in the slots R";

and spaces the rollers R'very satisfactorily. 

